Fraternity/Sororities

When one first thinks of Greek life or a sorority the only thing that comes to mind is the social aspect. Most people don’t think of sororities as social institutions that envelop their own culture, with mannerisms, languages and customs that are unique to each individual organization. However, these institutions promote a common set of values that enable members to become connected in a way that has a more profound meaning than just social interaction. Greek organizations are good examples of how institutions can affect and be affected by social status and roles within the collegiate community. They are also a prime example of how race, class and gender can affect a social setting in both positive and negative manners.

Jessica has authored two books, I Heart Recruitment: The Eight Steps to Limitless Possibility for Sororities and Social Excellence: We Dare You. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Science in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana

When entering college, it can be an exciting yet stressful time for many. A majority of college freshman come into their first year with few, if any, friends from high school and it can be a difficult adjustment when beginning this new chapter in their life. A solution that a lot of first year students discover, is joining a Greek organization. Based on an article written by Peter Jacobs, “I Joined a Fraternity and it was one of the best decisions I Ever Made”, by joining a sorority or fraternity, students are able to find their place and meet people who value the same beliefs that they do. Unfortunately, with the many stereotypes Greek life has, many people are unsure on whether or not it is the right decision for them. To reach the reader

sororities, some affirm that they foster a sense of community and support (Farrington 22) and

Greek life at universities across the United States is alluring to many undergraduates. Some claim it’s all about friendship and philanthropy – making life-long connections with others and helping those around you. For others, it’s about keeping up with the social atmosphere of their university. Most of those who I have come in contact with during the past year of my enrollment at Washington and Lee University decided to join Greek life at the university for a mix of these reasons. On the Washington and Lee campus, fraternities organize much of the social activities during the weekend –including both parties and philanthropy events. While these events surely characterize the activities of fraternities as a whole, a window to the interaction of the organization with itself are the weekly chapter meetings amongst a fraternity’s members. This study analyzes the intimate setting of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity chapter meeting and aims to shed light on a variety of factors affecting the dynamics of the weekly event.

Frat boys and sorority girls, what do they do for society? They party all weekend, every weekend. None of them care about academics. They are elitist and snobby. They violate noise ordinances. They do not serve the community. They couldn’t possibly hold any value as individuals in our society, right? Wrong. Many people think of those who belong to the Greek system as the rich, preppy Caucasian students who get drunk and party on a day-to-day basis; these among other stereotypes have, in essence, erased even the thought of belonging to a sorority or fraternity from the minds of countless students. While in actuality, Greeks are the students who do the best in

For my subculture, I decided to do the Beta Zeta chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi, also known as AOII, because I became a sister in the fall of 2015. Although I have spent nearly two semesters with the sorority, I still have a lot to learn. Due to my lack of knowledge, there are many assumptions. My first assumption is about the leadership council of Beta Zeta. I presumed the girls in charge of the chapter were elected because of popularity. I also believe the leaders are running for the sake of their resumes. Another preconception I have is that sororities do not promote leadership. As far as “bigs” go, I considered them as a friend inside the sorority, not a leader, which is another assumption of mine. A “big” is an older sister in the sorority, who decides to become a mentor to a newer, younger sister. The younger sister is known as a “little,” and any question she has or guidance she needs is directed towards her “big.” I would like find the true meaning behind both being an officer on the Leader’s Council and a “big.” I look forward to what my research will find.

Since SMU holds formal recruitment in January, the first half of spring semester revolves around the new members and making sure they successfully become socialized members of Alpha Chi. The sophomore pledge class’s involvement and identification is extremely high because they spent the entire fall semester recruiting these new members and as their “bigs,” they share a special bond with the new pledge class. The junior pledge class is still involved and identifies with the organization because they become “grandbigs,” but start to begin sub-stage one of their planned exit after spring break. Both the sophomore and junior pledge classes also still hold leadership positions, or other roles, which keep them involved and identifying with Alpha Chi. However, seniors do not have much of a role in Alpha Chi or a way to be involved with non-graduating members within the sorority. I believe that by giving senior members ways to stay involved with the other members, they will be more likely to enter the second sub-stage of the model and increase their participation within the sorority again. My recommendations seem to support the human relations theory because success of the organizational exit of graduating seniors within Alpha Chi depends on the satisfaction of its members and the services it provides to keep members involved until

Whether fraternities genuinely create future leaders, or simply attract them, DeSantis’s primary argument is to provide explanations examining how constricted gender roles and behaviors in particular affect and influence individuals of Greek organizations on campus life and beyond college. In the introduction of Inside Greek U, DeSantis cites impressive statistical data figures from the Center for the Study of College Fraternity, which notes the staggering number of American leaders associated with Greek affiliation, many of which are white, former fraternity men. Based solely on fraternity membership, these Greeks make up 85 percent of Fortune 500 executives, 76 percent of U.S. Senators, and 18 United States presidents since 1877, to mention a considerable few.4 DeSantis provides a sufficient source of reliable academic data to

College students have many life altering questions they must answer through the journey of further education. From a student’s major, living circumstance, classes, and getting involved on campus, it can start to get stressful if there are mixed signals about what they are getting into. Getting involved on campus is a great way to meet people and improve skills needed after graduation. A student might choose to be involved in Greek life because of the parties, friends, and job application quirks down the road (Joining a Fraternity, np). The outcome involves those things, but it also involves leadership traits, lifelong relationships, the ability to surpass the negative public perception of Fraternity and Sorority men and women, and keep up good grades.

Due to these successes I decided to join a fraternity and take on new challenges. What is unique about holding any leadership position in a fraternity environment is that everyone around is vied as a friend and everyone wants to have fun but it is difficult when these individuals step out of line and need to be punished. After my second year, I was elected president of Chi Psi Alpha Mu Delta at Rollins College, the largest social fraternity on campus. During my time as president I quickly developed strong problem solving and decision making abilities. These are important for any leader to possess because nothing ever goes as smooth as intended especially in a fraternity setting. I faced numerous problems and I was turned to make the best decision on behalf of Chi

Greek (social) organizations have acquired a bad reputation for displaying aggressive behaviors, high sexual assault, and members getting jobs based off affiliations. With all of these elements thrown in these social organizations, there is still a high percentage of college students joining. Why are student’s propensity to join these social organization over career organizations high? Greek organizations operate under secrecy and validation from others. They develop their sense of belonging by the approval of others, and based off the fact that not everyone can join solidifies the value of ranking members’ approval even more. Secrecy does not exist in terms of leadership because effective leadership is always transparent. Being able to apply

Fraternity volunteers are more aware and connected to chapter operations so that they can better inform, influence, and/or intervene, if appropriate, for the chapter’s sustainable success and officers’ development. Action Step(s)

While the larger support team is available for guidance, the officers and their advisers are now leading the charge. Together, they build cohesion among the different new member classes, conduct leadership training and Every Member Education, and organize philanthropic activities. At the conclusion of year three, the chapter knows how to self-govern efficiently and effectively. Year Four: In year four, the chapter focuses on its first opportunity to operate independently. Similarly to Kappa’s established chapters, chapter officers host programming and events with limited assistance. They have open lines of communication with their primary support system — the local Advisory Board, District Director and Content Specialists. This is the year when the chapter is hitting its stride. Members are confident in their ability to operate independently with assistance from their advisers. They have a strong sisterhood and positive connections with the Panhellenic, campus, and Vestal communities. Year Five: By its fifth year, the Fraternity expects the new chapter to be functioning independently and meeting or exceeding the expectations for established chapters. However, we recognize some chapters may need further support beyond those initial five years. Chapters are evaluated at the end of each academic year to ensure proper support and

Organizations such as Key Club, Beta Club, National Honors Society, and Interact have been apart of schools since 1925, and grow bigger every day. Since then, there have been over one hundred new clubs assembled to expose student’s integrity, intelligence, and leadership skills. Positive characteristics that school organizations offer are factors such as meeting new people, good use of time, and long term benefits. There are also a few denotations such as not fitting in with the groups of people in the club, spending more time at school than at work, and contributing one’s earned money to events and clothing.